Summary The floatplane, a Cessna U206F (registration C-FASO, serial number U20602081) operated by Aviation Mauricie/Aviation Batiscan, was carrying out a local tourist flight in the area of Grand-Mre, Quebec. The pilot and the five passengers took off from the floatplane base at Tortue Lake, Quebec, at 1020 eastern daylight time in the direction of Piles Lake, Quebec. After flying over the Grand-Mre hydroelectric dam, the aircraft entered a valley leading to Piles Lake. The weather conditions worsened, and the floatplane entered a fog bank skirting the hills. The pilot lost all visual reference with the ground and tried to keep the aircraft's wings horizontal while applying full power to initiate a climb. The left float struck a tree, and the aircraft pitched downward and ended up on its back. The pilot and passengers evacuated the aircraft uninjured. The aircraft sustained major damage. Ce rapport est galement disponible en franais. Other Factual Information The aircraft was airworthy and no defects were reported that might have contributed to the accident. The Cessna U206F is a single-engine, high-wing aircraft capable of transporting six persons. The aircraft was certified, equipped and maintained in accordance with existing regulations and approved procedures. The pilot possessed the required licence and qualifications for the flight in accordance with existing regulations. He has held a commercial pilot licence- aeroplane since 12July2004. At the time of the occurrence, he had logged roughly 700flying hours. Most of these hours were accumulated on floatplanes. The pilot was hired by Aviation Mauricie/Aviation Batiscan in July2006 and had received training on the Cessna206 floatplane. Aviation Mauricie/Aviation Batiscan has held a valid air operator certificate issued by Transport Canada (TC) since 26July2001. It operates Cessna206 and de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver aircraft under PartVII, Subparts2 and 3of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs). When the floatplane left the base at Tortue Lake, Quebec, the flight was scheduled to last about 20minutes. The flight was conducted pursuant to Subpart3 because the aircraft was being used for sightseeing. On the morning of the accident, two flights had been cancelled because of adverse weather conditions. At about 0930 eastern daylight time,1 the conditions improved and the chief pilot authorized the flight. The ceiling was estimated at 1100feet above ground level (AGL), and visibility was estimated at sixmiles. A specification on the operator certificate allowed for visual flight rules (VFR) flights during the day with visibility of at least one mile when the aircraft was flown at less than 1000feet AGLin uncontrolled airspace. The tourists reported to the dock and waited for their flight, which had already been included on the day's agenda. Departure took place at 1020. The pilot established the aircraft at roughly 700feetAGL, that is, roughly 1100feet above sea level (ASL). Visibility was about sixmiles. However, the weather conditions deteriorated as the flight continued. When the aircraft entered the valley leading to Piles Lake, located about eightmiles northwest of Tortue Lake, the pilot communicated by radio with the chief pilot, who was following in another aircraft, and warned him of the presence of fog. He alerted the chief pilot that he was going to do a 180turn. The aircraft suddenly flew into a thick layer of fog, and the pilot lost visual reference with the ground required for VFR flight. He noticed the trees below the aircraft and applied full power to initiate a climb. At that moment, the left float clipped the top of a tree and the aircraft pitched downward. The aircraft nosed over and flipped onto its back. The pilot and the passenger in the forward right seat were wearing their seat-belts, including a shoulder safety belt, and the other passengers were wearing their safety belts. They sustained only slight injuries and were able to quickly evacuate the aircraft. The aircraft sustained serious damage, but did not catch fire. Using his cellular telephone, the pilot called the company, which in turn called911. The pilot also switched on the emergency locator transmitter (ELT). Help arrived at the site at 1230, that is, about two hours following the accident. The aircraft had crashed in the mountains near Caron Lake. The mountains in this area rise to 1100feet ASL. No METAR2 observations and airport forecasts are issued for Lac--la-Tortue. Pilots operating locally in this region must plan their flights based on graphic area forecasts (GFAs), clouds and weather. The valid GFA for 19October at 0800 for the Grand-Mre area showed an overcast ceiling at 1500feet and visibility exceeding sixmiles. Locally, visibility might be reduced to mile in light mist and fog, with a ceiling at 300feetAGL. The only METAR and airport forecasts available for the areas in closest proximity to Lac--la-Tortue are those issued for Montral/Mirabel International Airport and Qubec Airport, Quebec, both of which are located more than 60nautical miles away. At 0011, that is, a few minutes after the accident, the conditions at Mirabel were favourable for visual flight, while Qubec reported instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions with an overcast sky at 200 feet and visibility of 1/8mile in fog. On 08 July 2006, another Cessna C206 operated by the company had been involved in a fatal accident. That accident was the subject of an investigation by the TSB (A06Q0114). In the wake of the accident, TCconducted a regulatory audit of the company. In the course of the audit, conducted between 07August and 11August2006, TCobserved, among other things, that the operations manager was not fulfilling his responsibilities, particularly in respect of training programs, flight safety, and compliance with regulations and company policy. The company submitted a corrective action plan to TCon 10October2006. The plan was accepted, and TCscheduled a re-inspection of the base of operations on 16December2006. The day following the accident covered by this report, that is, 20October2006, TC issued the company a notice of suspension of its air operator certificate. The operator certificate limiting the operation to the Cessna206 was returned to the company on 03January2007. On 10April2007, in response to reassurances that the operator was complying with the specified requirements, TC again returned the company's operator certificate, including authorization to fly the DHC-2Beaver.